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2014 Cadillac XTS Debuts Revised Front Clip, 410 HP Twin-Turbo V6

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Who says one model year is too soon for some significant updates? Definitely not Cadillac, which opted to deliver a few significant changes for the 2014 model year XTS full-sized-luxury-but-don’t-call-it-a-flagship sedan. Major highlights for the 2014 Cadillac XTS include:

An available rear-seat entertainment system with twin DVD screens that fold out of the backs of the front seats

Available front passenger seat memory feature

Revised rear-seat armrest with wood trim, radio controls and sunshade control (if equipped)

Opaque sunroof sunshade

Visually, there are a few changes, with the most notable being the touched-up front clip for twin-turbo models, bearing higher resemblance to the sporty ATS and all-new 2014 CTS sedans. The revised front fascia design is complimented by “Twin-Turbo” badge work on the rear fascia.

410 hp Twin Turbo V6 only on the AWD model? Good move GM. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the reviews of this variant to see if it’s any good.

Personally, I’d buy it anyway just because I ALWAYS prefer the higher hp variant of any car. But in this application I wouldn’t expect “sport sedan” performance. Maybe something more along the lines of “Powerful, well composed, Luxury tourer”.

I drive a 300 HP FWD now and even with the best systems you can control torque steer pretty well but I suspect it is not up to the standard expected in a Cadillac. Imagine the press if this car pulled one way or the other even a little and state that GM is trying to do too much with the front wheels.

Also this is not a sports sedan and is not claimed to be one. The extra power would make AWD much better as power is lossed in driving the extra drivetrain.

Jaguar recently announced AWD models because they felt they were losing market share to Audi, BMW, Mercedes AWD’s, et al in the Northern (snow belt) states. GM/Cadillac is making sure their products are competitive in the marketplace.

Recall though, in 1970 a Cadillac weighed the equivalent of a ‘shit-ton’ and was a floating barge. That suspension soaked up any possibility of feel torque steer and the mass of the car help subdue that pesky bitch.
You tell the front wheels to deliver 100% of the power to the road, do 100% of the turning, and 60-70% of overall breaking.
With proper diffs (ex. Quiafe), suspension geometry (GM’s Hi-Per Strut or Ford’s Revoknuckle), torque vectoring, etc, the front wheels can do it, ish.
You also run into a car that is front heavy, which typically results in a piss pour weight distrib.

Big power, but more importantly big torque in a fwd car isn’t a problem until you try to use it all, or most of it at once.

Because in 1970 it was gross horsepower not net HP and that 400 HO back then may have only been 340 HP in todays numbers.

Besides they torqued steered like a BI$CH back then. They did not have good geometry and the drive shafts were un even.

You would find that todays net HP numbers are greater in gross HP than just about anything made back then. Today really is the golden era of performance. I have own and driven most of them back then but today a car like the ZR1 would lay waste to nearly anything from back then even the original ZR1.

I understand one is gross and one is net. If you figure a 25% loss going through the drivetrain the 500 still has 43 more lb-ft of torque and torque is what causes torque steer not HP. The 500 would need about a 33% drivetrain loss just to match the torque of the new engine. If it was RWD/AWD it would be a non issue.

I agree todays engines are better but you have to wind them up to get the power. I have a 5.7 vortec truck with 3.42 gears and a 5.3 Suburban with 3.73 gears and up to 40ish the truck will walk away from the suburban get above 40 and the suburban will pull away from the truck. The 5.3 has more peak HP, torque & more gear so you would think it would do better. The 5.7 has more low end power and feels like it has a wider power band.

Once in a while, GM does an update 100% the correct way. This is one example. This is everything the XTS needed to become a great touring car. The handling dynamics are there, critics just argued for more power or less weight. I was hoping to see some updates for the ATS but I guess we will have to see next year. Mainly, an 8-speed auto is what it needs.

I think GM is playing it smart with this car and the Impala and Buick as they are not really sports sedans.

For too many years GM put sports sedan tags on too many cars that were anything but. Today they are saving the tags to cars of a much higher level. That is not to say that this car may be still fun to drive but just at a little lower level of tune.

If you want to be taken as legit you have to be spot on with what you claim. GM now has people who understand this.

Simple, the CTS for one not out yet and two you have no idea what GM will be bringing officially yet.

The XTS was out a year before this one showed up.

I think you will be surprised at what all is coming yet. Sometimes you just have to let things play out to finish development and for marketing. Seldom anymore are cars intro’s with all options and models out of the gate.